On April 10, 2019, the Commission for Women at UMD recognized three female leaders with the Linda Larson Woman of the Year Awards. This award is given annually to women at UMD who go above and beyond to benefit women at the University of Minnesota Duluth and in the community.
This year’s recipients are:
Lizzie Easter, Student Woman of the Year - senior, majoring in psychology. Recognized for her work as a peer sexual health educator (SHE), and her role as an advocate for survivors/victims of sexual assault during their hospital exams with Program for Aid to Victims of Sexual Assault (PAVSA) in the Duluth community.
Becky Nelson, Staff Woman of the Year - ITSS. Recognized for her work with the Twin Ports Feminist Action Collective, supporting women who were running for election gain access to leadership positions by giving time, energy, and voice, for her work with our local Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) group and NAACP chapter, former involvement on the Commission for Women, and now as an advocate as the chair of the Civil Service Senate Consultative Committee.
Dr. Terresa Moses, Faculty Woman of the Year - professor of graphic design, School of Fine Arts. Recognized for her crucial role in establishing the UMD chapter of the NAACP, which is run entirely by women students, her participation in the annual Summit on Equity, Race and Ethnicity with the Racism Untaught toolkit workshop, her involvement in the Intercultural Leadership Development program at UMD, her Project Naptural workshops which help women of color learn about and love their natural hair. In addition, Terresa is an active member of the Duluth Branch NAACP, and chairs the Young Adult Committee there, as well as serving as second vice president. This past year, she started “Social Justice Socials” through that group, which target young activists and hope to bring them together for networking and further engagement in their community. She is also one of the founders of BlackBird Revolt, a socially conscious design collective
About the Linda Larson Woman of the Year Award
The UMD Commission for Women created the Linda Larson Woman of the Year Award in 2002 to honor women at UMD who exemplify going above and beyond to benefit women at UMD. Following in the legacy of Linda Larson, recipients of this award are making a difference in the lives of women at UMD and in the greater Duluth community. Their contributions to women have long-lasting impact for favorable climate change.
Linda Larson worked at UMD for over 25 years and was inducted into the UMD Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007. Throughout her career she worked to expand women’s athletics on campus and was integral to the university’s compliance with Title IX when it was adopted. She worked diligently to improve the position of the Women’s Resource and Action Center on campus. She has also done extensive work for women outside the university by volunteering her time and serving on the boards for the Northern Pine Girl Scout Council and the Duluth YWCA. Her efforts have made UMD’s women’s athletics what they are today. It is this type of legacy for women that this award is meant to honor.
In 2011, the Commission broadened the Linda Larson Award to honor women in three distinct categories: faculty, staff, and student. We would like to invite all members of the UMD community (men and women, students, faculty, staff, and alumni) to nominate any current or former UMD faculty or staff woman, or female student, for one of the following:
- Linda Larson Commission for Women Student Woman of the Year Award
- Linda Larson Commission for Women Staff Woman of the Year Award
- Linda Larson Commission for Women Faculty Woman of the Year Award
About the Commission for Women
The Commission for Women was founded in 1981. Our mission is to improve and enrich the working and learning environments for UMD women by providing direction, leadership, support and expertise to the UMD community.
Top photo: Becky Nelson, Linda Larson, and Lizzie Easter.
Learn more about UMD's Commission for Women.